‘Horrible’ and ‘shocking’: 65 kangaroos found dead

“It was pretty horrific… They had broken legs, gunshot wounds, it was shocking,” an Australian wildlife rescuer said as he described a gruesome scene in Victoria state: the discovery of at least five dozen murdered kangaroos. AFP reports that the 65 eastern grey kangaroos were found shot and with “traumatic injuries consistent with being hit by a vehicle” on June 22 in Gobarup, the state’s conservation regulator.

Australia’s ABC reports that the kangaroos were found in rural paddocks about 75 miles (120 kilometers) north of Melbourne. They were spread across nearly 500 acres (200 hectares). The state of Victoria prohibits the hunting and killing of wild animals in general, but licensed hunters can legally shoot grey kangaroos on farms as part of a kangaroo-killing program designed to protect livestock. It’s not yet clear who carried out the killings, which are believed to have taken place over a 23-hour period starting at 5 p.m. on June 21. A criminal investigation is ongoing. Australia’s AP reports that another group of about 19 kangaroos was found dead from similar injuries about 170 miles (270 kilometers) away. (More kangaroo stories.)